Recipe … Cucumber Cups Stuffed with Spicy Crab

Standard

3 long cucumbers

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup crab meat, excess water removed

1 tsp hot pepper sauce (Tabasco or tapito)

1 tsp brown mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs minced green onion

Garnish with chili powder or paprika if desired

Remove the peel from the cucumbers using a vegetable peeler. Cut the cucumber into 2 inch slices. Using a small melon baller, scoop out most of the inside. You want to leave the walls and a thick portion of the bottom intact.

In a bowl, combine the sour cream and the cream cheese with a fork until well combined. add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Fill each of the cucumber cups with the crab dip. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve within 2 hours of making.

{Domestic Fits}

Cabin…there is a cabin in the woods (part 2)

Standard

and i retreat to this cabin in the woods whenever i wish to reconnect with myself. connect with nature. connect with my love. connect with my friends. to connect by disconnecting…into nature.

i introduce to you my dream…to have a little piece of land near a mountain forest area…near a river or a lake. i will write sometimes about this dream cabin. thoughts or ideas about design, elements, activities, floor plans, locations…

{design idea: eclectic bohemian}

colors incorporated into the space

a lovely table setting

perfect chair

lighting decor

the general feel of design

Recipe … Guacamole Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Standard

Ingredients:

To make the guacamole:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
A dash of freshly grated black pepper
1 Roma tomato, chopped

4 slices crusty white bread
4 slices Cheddar cheese
Butter, for buttering bread

Directions:

1. To make the guacamole-cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a large bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Add the chopped tomato and stir.

2. Heat a pan or griddle to medium-high heat. Spread desired amount of guacamole on both slices of bread then top with cheese. Butter outer slices of bread and grill on one side for about 2 minutes or until golden and crispy. Flip the sandwich and grill until golden brown. Make the other sandwich the same way and serve warm.

{Two Peas and Their Pod}  Maria & Josh

Romance … Beach Day Picnic

Standard

I would love to create this type of set up on the beach with my husband.

A little tent area two beach chairs with an umbrella outside the tent…

Arrive and set up. Enjoy a lovely picnic brunch and the ocean breeze. Spend the day romping in the surf and sand – snacking on fresh fruits and drinking chilled beverages – lounging under the tent canopy or people watching while sunning in the chairs. Chatting, reading, listening to music … all while the day winds down.  The charcoal grill is lit, dinner comes together – as the sun begins to set – dessert and champagne are enjoyed – the sun disappears and the moon rises (spectacular as a full moon). Pack up to head home at leisure.

Recipe … Lemon Sugar Cookies With Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Standard
Makes 1 dozen
Ingredients
3 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
½  teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a medium bowl combine cake flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Using an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in eggs one at a time stirring after each addition.  Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla until combined.  Gradually add in flour mixture combined.  
Chill dough for at least one hour in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  
Roll 3 tablespoons of dough into a ball.  Use flour on your hands if needed.  Place ball on baking sheet and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick, molding sides to keep round shape if necessary.  Continue with remaining dough, placing each 2 inches apart.  
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes on baking sheet, and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  
*For shapes- roll out chilled dough ¼ inch thick on a well floured surface.  Flour rolling pin and cut out to prevent sticking.  Cut out desired shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Cool for a few minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool.
Shapes will spread from the baking powder.  To define the shape used after the cookie has cooled, place cookie cutter on top of cookie and firmly press all the way down, removing any access cookie for the edges.  
Frosting
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
food coloring (optional)
Directions
Using an electric mixer combine butter and gradually add in confectioners sugar.  When all sugar is added, add in lemon zest, lemon juice and blend on medium until fluffy.  Add in food color if desired.
Notes-
If frosting is to thick, add more lemon juice, water or milk until desired consistency is reached.

 

{Mother Thyme}  Jennifer | Mother Thyme

Cabin…there is a cabin in the woods (part 1)

Standard

and i retreat to this cabin in the woods whenever i wish to reconnect with myself. connect with nature. connect with my love. connect with my friends. to connect by disconnecting…into nature.

i introduce to you my dream…to have a little piece of land near a mountain forest area…near a river or a lake. i will write sometimes about this dream cabin. thoughts or ideas about design, elements, activities, floor plans, locations…

{location: virginia – near the Jefferson National Forest}

The setting ….

Travel down the road…

by car, bike, foot

To the space… upon which a little cabin stands

The view beyond…